St. Augustine grass

ABSTRACT

A perennial St. Augustine grass having outstanding cold tolerance, along with good resistance to St. Augustine Decline Virus and gray leaf spot.

BACKGROUND

A St. Augustine grass which has been named "Seville" was disclosed inU.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,097, which issued on Sept. 6, 1977.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY

This invention relates to a new and distinct perennial St. Augustinegrass selected from the progeny of the controlled pollination of Sevillewith the pollen from a cold tolerant selection obtained from Memphis,Tenn. This yellow anther, white stigma genotype was labeled 6-72-99 andpropagated vegetatively by stolons to provide planting stock forstudying performance and making comparisons to present commercialvarieties.

The excellent cold tolerance, good overall appearance, and goodresistance to St. Augustine Decline Virus and gray leaf spot of 6-72-99along with other information, allow this genotype to be distinguishedfrom other St. Augustine grasses.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIONS

FIG. 1 is a photograph of 6-72-99 St. Augustine turf;

FIG. 2 shows a single spike of 6-72-99 St. Augustine grass plantdepicting yellow anthers and white stigmas protruding from severalspikelets.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

Genotype 6-72-99 has a yellow anther color, a white stigma color, and anunreduced chromosome number of 18. The internodes are shorter andthicker than most commonly grown St. Augustine grass cultivars. Leafblade length and leaf sheath length are significantly shorter thanFloratam, a widely grown cultivar in Florida and Texas. The differencebetween 6-72-99 and Floratam in leaf blade length is accentuated underlow light growing conditions. Floratam is noted for its poor shadeperformance in contrast to most St. Augustine grasses. The blade widthof 6-72-99 is equal to or wider than other St. Augustine grasses.Measurements of the spike and related structures indicate that 6-72-99has a longer spike, a longer peduncle, and a longer flag leaf sheaththan other St. Augustine grasses except for Floratam. The chromosomenumbers, anther and stigma color and morphological measurements of6-72-99 and other St. Augustine grasses are compared in Tables 1, 2, 3and 4.

                  TABLE 1                                                         ______________________________________                                        Chromosome numbers, anther color and stigma color of                          6-72-99 and other St. Augustine grasses.                                                    Chromosome   Anther   Stigma                                    Selection/Variety                                                                           Number       Color    Color                                     ______________________________________                                        6-72-99       18           Yellow   White                                     Bitterblue    27           Yellow   Purple                                    Floratam      27           Yellow   Purple                                    Floratine     27           Yellow   Purple                                    Raleigh       18           Yellow   White                                     Seville       18           Yellow   Purple                                    Texas Common  18           Yellow   White                                     California Common                                                                           18           Yellow   White                                     1081          18           Purple   Purple                                    ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 2                                                         ______________________________________                                        Comparative measurements of internode length and thickness                    of 6-72-99 and other St. Augustine grasses.                                                           Internode                                                       Internode Length (cm)                                                                       Thickness (mm)                                        Selection/Variety                                                                         Florida.sup.(a)                                                                         Ohio.sup.(b,c)                                                                          Ohio.sup.(b)                                  ______________________________________                                        6-72-99     4.1       5.7       3.5                                           Bitterblue  3.7       6.9       2.7                                           Floratam    6.3       7.5       3.2                                           Floratine   4.7       5.8       2.7                                           Raleigh     5.8       7.0       3.2                                           Seville     4.5       6.8       2.7                                           Texas Common                                                                              --        6.2       3.0                                           California Common                                                                         --        4.2       2.4                                           1081        3.9       7.3       2.8                                           LSD (.05)    1.00     1.15      .24                                           ______________________________________                                         .sup.(a) Field planting  Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Average length of thir     to seventh internodes on terminal end of stolon.                              .sup.(b) Greenhouse planting  Marysville, Ohio. Measurements taken on         unclipped potted plants.                                                      .sup.(c) Length of third internode from terminal end of stolon.          

                  TABLE 3                                                         ______________________________________                                        Comparative Leaf Blade Length, Width and Sheath Length of                     6-72-99 and other St. Augustine grasses.                                              Blade Length (cm)                                                                            Blade    Sheath                                                     Ohio.sup.(b)                                                                            Width.sup.(c)                                                                          Length.sup.(c)                                Selection/         High.sup.(c)                                                                          Low.sup.(d)                                                                         (cm)   (cm)                                  Variety   Texas.sup.(a)                                                                          Light   Light Ohio.sup.(b)                                                                         Ohio.sup.(b)                          ______________________________________                                        6-72-99   3.0      7.3     16.7  1.8    3.3                                   Bitterblue                                                                              --       7.4     17.5  1.5    2.8                                   Floratam  6.6      10.1    27.2  1.7    4.5                                   Floratine --       8.6     16.3  1.4    3.2                                   Raleigh   3.9      7.8     13.8  1.7    3.7                                   Seville   2.9      6.9     18.4  1.4    2.9                                   Texas Common                                                                            2.7      8.1     16.6  1.7    3.6                                   California                                                                              --       3.8     11.8  1.2    2.2                                   Common                                                                        1081      --       7.8     15.2  1.5    3.2                                   LSD(.05)   .77     2.03    3.25  0.17   0.71                                  ______________________________________                                         .sup.(a) Field Planting  Cleveland, Texas.                                    .sup.(b) Greenhouse Planting  Marysville, Ohio. Measurements taken on         unclipped potted plants.                                                      .sup.(c) After a period of natural sunlight and a high level supplemental     light.                                                                        .sup.(d) After a lengthy period of very cloudy conditions and no              supplemental light.                                                      

                  TABLE 4                                                         ______________________________________                                        Comparative measurements of the inflorescence and related                     structures of 6-72-99 and other St. Augustine grasses.sup.(a).                ______________________________________                                                   Spike       Peduncle                                                            Length  Width     Length                                                                              Width                                    Selection/Variety                                                                          (mm)    (mm)      (mm)  (mm)                                     ______________________________________                                        6-72-99      93      5.3       68    2.1                                      Bitterblue   78      5.6       61    2.2                                      Floratam     96      5.9       83    2.4                                      Floratine    74      5.8       48    2.3                                      Raleigh      72      5.8       62    2.2                                      Seville      71      4.9       50    1.9                                      Texas Common 68      4.9       42    1.9                                      1081         78      5.2       60    1.9                                      LSD(.05)     10.0    .64       18.3  0.28                                     ______________________________________                                                  Flag Leaf  Flag Leaf Sheath                                                    Length    Width   Length                                           Selection/Variety                                                                        (mm)      (mm)    (mm)                                             ______________________________________                                        6-72-99    21        6.7     46                                               Bitterblue 22        6.4     44                                               Floratam   35        6.3     46                                               Floratine  27        7.2     39                                               Raleigh    25        7.5     42                                               Seville    15        5.8     38                                               Texas Common                                                                             29        7.1     39                                               1081       25        6.3     39                                               LSD(.05)   12.4      1.08    6.7                                              ______________________________________                                         .sup.(a) Greenhouse planting  Marysville, Ohio.                          

Field observations of 6-72-99 indicate that it has generally good turfquality characteristics throughout the year. However, it excels duringthe cooler winter and early spring months in its turf quality and itsability to avoid injury to occasional cold and freezing temperatures.These characteristics of 6-72-99 as compared with other St. Augustinegrasses is illustrated in Tables 5, 6 and 7.

                  TABLE 5                                                         ______________________________________                                        Comparative turf quality.sup.(a) of 6-72-99 and other                         St. Augustine grasses at various locations in the U.S.                                Turf Quality                                                                  Florida                                                                            Fort     California                                                           Lauderdale                                                                             SCFS.sup.(h)                                            Selection/         Expt   Expt  Expt Expt                                     Variety   Apopka.sup.(b)                                                                         1.sup.(c)                                                                            2.sup.(d)                                                                           3.sup.(e)                                                                          4.sup.(f)                                                                          Somas.sup.(g)                       ______________________________________                                        6-72-99   7.4      7.5    5.8   6.1  4.7  4.9                                 Bitterblue                                                                              6.2      5.6    5.9   --   --   --                                  Floralawn --       --     7.1   --   --   --                                  Floratam  5.9      6.5    7.2   --   3.9  --                                  Floratine 6.2      5.3    6.2   --   --   --                                  Raleigh   6.6      3.0    --    --   3.6  --                                  Seville   7.8      7.3    6.3   6.7  --   5.3                                 Texas Common                                                                            7.5      --     --    5.9  4.5  3.6                                 California                                                                              --       --     --    6.1  4.6  5.3                                 Common                                                                        1081      7.2      6.1    5.5   --   --   --                                  ______________________________________                                         .sup.(a) Quality  rated 1-10, 10 = best.                                      .sup.(b) Mean over 4 years with a total of 8 evaluations.                     .sup.(c) Mean of 5 dates of evaluations.                                      .sup.(d) Mean of 15 dates of evaluations.                                     .sup.(e) Mean of 25 dates of evaluations.                                     .sup.(f) Mean of 6 dates of evaluations.                                      .sup.(g) Mean of 2 dates of evaluations.                                      .sup.(h) South Coast Field Station  University of California.            

                  TABLE 6                                                         ______________________________________                                        Comparative turf quality.sup.(a) of 6-72-99 and other                         St. Augustine grasses during the winter season or                             early spring at various locations in the U.S.                                           Turf Quality                                                                    Apopka.sup.(b)                                                                          Cleveland.sup.(c)                                                                         SCFS.sup.(d)                                Selection/Variety                                                                         Florida   Texas       California                                  ______________________________________                                        6-72-99     9.9       6.4         5.4                                         Bitterblue  5.0       --          --                                          Floratam    5.6       6.0         --                                          Floratine   5.8       6.0         --                                          Raleigh     7.7       --          --                                          Seville     7.8       6.2         4.5                                         Texas Common                                                                              8.9       6.2         4.2                                         California Common                                                                         --        --          4.6                                         1081        6.4       4.8         --                                          ______________________________________                                         .sup.(a) Quality  rated 1-10, 10 = best.                                      .sup.(b) Mean of 3 dates of evaluations.                                      .sup.(c) Mean of 5 dates of evaluations.                                      .sup.(d) South Coast Field Station  University of California  Mean of 6       dates of evaluations.                                                    

                  TABLE 7                                                         ______________________________________                                        Comparative cold injury of 6-72-99 and other                                  St. Augustine grasses in Apopka, Florida.                                                Cold Injury (%)                                                    Selection/Variety                                                                          Expt. 1     Expt. 2 Mean                                         ______________________________________                                        6-72-99      0           0        0                                           Bitterblue   53          38      45                                           Floratam     40          42      41                                           Floratine    48          32      40                                           Raleigh      32          12      22                                           Seville      35          15      25                                           Texas Common 18          7       12                                           1081         47          33      40                                           LSD(.05)     20.9        18.5                                                 ______________________________________                                    

Color of turf is an important component of turf quality. 6-72-99 has apleasing green color throughout the year. In addition, minimizing lossof green color due to herbicide injury, cold, or other causes is alsoimportant in maintaining good quality turf for 6-72-99. Besides greencolor or loss of green color, St. Augustine grasses have a tendency tohave a purple coloring in the stem. 6-72-99 has a low level of purplingin the stems. Minimizing the number of seedheads in turf is alsoimportant in maintaining high quality turf. 6-72-99 has a medum level offlowering shoots in turf. This information is illustrated in Tables 8, 9and 10.

                  TABLE 8                                                         ______________________________________                                        Comparative color ratings of 6-72-99 and other                                St. Augustine grasses at various locations in the U.S.                        ______________________________________                                                     Color.sup.(a)                                                                 Florida                                                          Selection/Variety                                                                            Apopka.sup.(b)                                                                         Fort Lauderdale.sup.(c)                               ______________________________________                                        6-72-99        8.9      1.8                                                   Bitterblue     7.9      3.0                                                   Floratam       8.4      2.9                                                   Floratine      7.9      2.9                                                   Raleigh        7.1      2.0                                                   Seville        8.8      2.0                                                   Texas Common   8.0      --                                                    California Common                                                                            --       --                                                    1081           8.5      1.3                                                   ______________________________________                                                  Color.sup.(a)                                                                 California    Texas                                                 Selection/Variety                                                                         Somas.sup.(d)                                                                            SCFS.sup.(e)                                                                           Cleveland.sup.(f)                             ______________________________________                                        6-72-99     7.9        7.0      6.8                                           Bitterblue  --         --       --                                            Floratam    --         --       6.8                                           Floratine   --         --       6.8                                           Raleigh     --         --       --                                            Seville     7.5        8.6      6.7                                           Texas Common                                                                              5.9        4.2      6.8                                           California Common                                                                         7.7        6.5      --                                            1081        --         --       5.6                                           ______________________________________                                         .sup.(a) Color rated 1-10, 10  darkest green unless noted otherwise.          .sup.(b) Mean of 8 evaluations.                                               .sup.(c) Rated 1-3, 3 = darker green.                                         .sup.(d) Mean of 3 evaluations.                                               .sup.(e) South Coast Field Station                                            .sup.(f) Mean of 5 evaluations.                                          

                  TABLE 9                                                         ______________________________________                                        Comparative ratings of various attributes of 6-72-99 and other                St. Augustine grasses which detract from overall appearance.                  Selection/         Dis-    Chlo-        Seed                                  Variety   Brown.sup.(a)                                                                          color.sup.(b)                                                                         rosis.sup.(c)                                                                       Asulox.sup.(d)                                                                       Heads.sup.(e)                         ______________________________________                                        6-72-99   3.7      1       20.0  0      400                                   Bitterblue                                                                              --       --      14.5  12     200                                   Floralawn --       --      --    --     120                                   Floratam  6.3      --      11.0  0       60                                   Floratine --       --       7.5  2       80                                   Raleigh   8.3      --      10.0  10     --                                    Seville   --       0       17.5  3      1110                                  Texas Common                                                                            5.7      0       17.0  0      --                                    California                                                                              4.0      4       --    --     --                                    Common                                                                        1081      --       --      14.5  7      650                                   ______________________________________                                         .sup.(a) South Coast Field Station  University of California  Rated as %      brown turf.                                                                   .sup.(b) South Coast Field Station  Rated as % discolored turf.               .sup.(c) Apopka, Florida  Rated as % chlorotic turf.                          .sup.(d) Apopka, Florida  Rated as % injury.                                  .sup.(e) Fort Lauderdale, Florida  Rated as the number of seedheads per       square meter.                                                            

                  TABLE 10                                                        ______________________________________                                        Comparative evaluations of purple stem color of                               6-72-99 and other St. Augustine grasses.                                             Purple Stem Color.sup.(a)                                                            Florida                                                         Selection/                                                                             Ohio       Fort             California                               Variety  Marysville.sup.(b)                                                                       Lauderdale                                                                              Apopka SCFS                                     ______________________________________                                        6-72-99  3.5        4.5        5     0.7                                      Bitterblue                                                                             8.0        5.3       30     --                                       Floratam 8.3        6.1       33     2.7                                      Floratine                                                                              8.0        6.3       10     --                                       Raleigh  6.0        4.0       14     1.7                                      Seville  4.0        4.5        1     --                                       Texas    4.5        --         9     1.0                                      Common                                                                        1081     7.5        5.9       52     --                                       LSD(.05) 1.1                         0.9                                      ______________________________________                                         .sup.(a) Purple stem color rated 1-10, 10 = stolons are very purple, 1 =      stolons are entirely green. For Apopka, visual estimation of the level of     stem purpling in percent.                                                     .sup.(b) Test planted in the greenhouse.                                 

Tolerance to various diseases and insects is important for maintaininggood quality turf with minimum levels of pesticides. 6-72-99 has shownresistance to St. Augustine grass Decline Virus inoculations in thelaboratory. In field studies, it has shown a good level of resistance togray leaf spot (Pyricularia grisea) and dollarspot (Curvularia sp.).Tolerance to insects is an extremely difficult characteristic to measureaccurately. For chinchbugs (Blissus sp.) and sod webworm (Crambus sp.),6-72-99 has shown tolerance levels equal to most other St. Augustinegrasses.

                  TABLE 11                                                        ______________________________________                                        Comparative disease ratings of 6-72-99 and                                    other St. Augustine grasses.                                                          Gray Leaf Spot.sup.(a)                                                                        Dollarspot.sup.(d)                                    Selection/                                                                              Apopka.sup.(b)                                                                         Fort Lauderdale.sup.(c)                                                                    Fort Lauderdale                               Variety   Florida  Florida      Florida                                       ______________________________________                                        6-72-99   1.0      4.0          0.0                                           Bitterblue                                                                              3.5      6.6          0.2                                           Floratam  3.8      4.0          0.0                                           Floratine 2.6      7.0          0.5                                           Raleigh   0.7      3.6          --                                            Seville   0.8      3.8          0.0                                           Texas Common                                                                            2.4      --           --                                            1081      2.2      2.7          0.3                                           ______________________________________                                         .sup.(a) Rated 1-10, 10 = most disease.                                       .sup.(b) Mean of two evaluations.                                             .sup.(c) Mean of two evaluations.                                             .sup.(d) Rating based on number of spots per square meter.               

                  TABLE 12                                                        ______________________________________                                        Comparative ratings of insect tolerance of 6-72-99 and                        other St. Augustine grasses.                                                            Chinchbugs.sup.(a)                                                                          Sod Webworms.sup.(b)                                  Selection/Variety                                                                         Florida.sup.(c)                                                                         California.sup.(d)                                                                      Florida.sup.(e)                               ______________________________________                                        6-72-99     2.0       0.0       49                                            Bitterblue  5.0       --        24                                            Floratam    7.0       --        18                                            Floratine   2.7       --        24                                            Raleigh     6.3       --        44                                            Seville     5.7       0.3       39                                            Texas Common                                                                              4.7       2.0       --                                            California Common                                                                         --        3.0       --                                            ______________________________________                                         .sup.(a) Rated 1-10, 10 = severe damage.                                      .sup.(b) Rated as % damage.                                                   .sup.(c) Planted in the greenhouse at Apopka, Florida.                        .sup.(d) South Coast Field Station, University of California.                 .sup.(e) Planted in containers at Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Mean of two       evaluations.                                                             

What is claimed is:
 1. A St. Augustine grass, substantially as hereinillustrated and described.